Vector SI
Background/gameplay Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 was the first ever arcade to home game license, becoming a huge best seller, which it included 112 games with multiple playing variables. In the game, a group of invaders marched from one side of the screen to the other, dropping down a notch closer to the player’s laser cannon whenever they reached a screen edge, firing at the player’s cannon all the while. The player had three bunkers to take cover under, although they would become damaged with the player’s and invaders’ laser fire, then disappear altogether if the invaders came down too close, and if the invaders made it down to the very bottom of the screen, the player was "invaded" and the game would end (along with if the player lost all three of their laser cannons due to being shot by invaders would also end a game). A high-scoring Command Alien Ship would also fly overhead several times during a wave as well. Vector SI is a graphical hack of the Atari 2600 version of Space Invaders, changing sprites as well as some sounds, although it plays exactly the same as the original. The graphics were changed to imitate vector (or "wire frame") graphics that were seen in several arcade games from the late 1970s - 1980s and on the home Vectrex machine from the early 1980s through the present. The colors were also changed to look like the original Space Invaders arcade game, being in only black, white, orange and green. Game variations *Moving Shields--bunkers move back and forth *Zigzagging Laser Bombs--Invaders' shots zigzag back and forth towards the earth *Fast Laser Bombs--Invaders' bombs drop quickly *Invisible Invaders--Invaders are invisible unless one (or the Command Alien Ship) is shot, which they then briefly reappear *Large laser cannon--flipping a difficulty switch on the 2600 console to the A position makes players' laser cannons twice as large Game variations, player setup There are two player alternating variations, along with variations to not only have both players onscreen at once, but there are also several competing variations as well, such as ones where if one player gets hit by Invaders' fire, the other player is awarded 200 points. Others include alternating shots where if one player takes too long to fire their laser cannon then it will automatically shoot. Other variations include ones where one player controls the cannon, along with one player can only move the cannon to the right, while the other player can only move it to the left. Other variations allow one movement and one shot per player, then the other player gets to do the same, and others have one player move the laser cannon while the other player fires. Scoring *Row 1 Invader--5 points *Row 2 Invader--10 points *Row 3 Invader--15 points *Row 4 Invader--20 points *Row 5 Invader--25 points *Row 6 Invader--30 points *Command Alien Ship--200 points, or 100 points in certain game variations *Other player's laser cannon hit--200 points awarded to other player on certain competitive game variations Controls *Move cannon--joystick (left/right) *Fire--button Trivia *The original game came with several label variations, which are known as Picture, Text, Red, and Silver labels. This version comes as a ROM file only to be played on Atari emulators or flashcarts. *Neotokeo2001 also created the Atari 2600 C.I.F.S. and Space Armada hacks. Links Atari Age Vector SI page Category:Freeware BOTSS Category:Games Category:Atari 2600 BOTSS Category:Hacked BOTSS